Practice Management Alert

There's no time to lose if you're not already up to speed on the new ICD-9 changes that went into effect Oct. 1, 2003.

The implementation grace period lasted until Dec. 31, 2003, but now you'll need to make sure your office is using the ICD-9 2004, sixth edition. With Medicare and private payers now requiring more specific and definitive diagnosis coding than ever before, your reimbursement depends on correct diagnosis codes.

Increase your diagnosis expertise by remembering these points:

- There are 105 new diagnosis codes in the ICD-9 for 2004.

- There are over 1,100 other revisions, changes, additions or deletions to know about.

- Code for the definitive diagnosis, not the symptoms, whenever it's possible.